Tears of Lys
by WhatToChoose
Summary: This story follows is told in two different points of view. Edam, of house Branch, son of Efran, Lord of Ramsgate, embarks on a journey to Essos following a vision he had one night. Meanwhile Baela, a Lyseni slave, is auctioned off in Volantis. *All rights to GRRM*
1. Her

Her

Edam I

On the 89th night out on the Shivering Sea, Edam, of House Branch, only son of Efran, lord of Ramsgate, dreamt of _her_ , Baela. He did not know who she was, nor how to find her. But his dreams felt real as if he were actually looking up from the ground in the eyes of cat. Even now on the bow of the ship looking over towards the waning moon he saw her, hand extended, twirling around in her olive green silk robes and her silver-gold hair flowing in the breeze, her pale blue eyes shining like the moonlight off the water. He wanted to reach out and take her hand, but every time he drew near, she faded away. There was always a lingering sadness as well as anger.

A horn blew in the distance and all the crew members raced on deck to see the giant stone warrior guarding Braavos. The men moved all around preparing to dock and go ashore. Many planned on visiting the various brothels and spending almost all their coins for cunt. The anchordropped and the ropes strapped onto the wooden docks everyone except Edam and his guard, as well as his loyal friend, Tylar Salver, "Try not to spend all your coins lads. We only have another couple of days until we head down to Pentos." Tylar called out. "Apologies my lord Edam, I must get off this ship as well before I get sickly again. I trust you can handle yourself should anything happen." He smiled that foolish smile as he did since they were children.

"That's more than I can say for you." Edam said. Edam and Tylar laughed together before Edam heard a womans laugh as if she were right next to him. Edam's smile died instantly and he turned every which way looking for her.

"My lord is everything alright?" Tylar asked, his gold hair whisking in the wind.

Edam refocused and cleared his throat, "Yes, I- uh- thought I heard something."

Tylar gave a curious stare, "Perhaps we could both use a drink to soothe our bellies tonight. Come, my friend, let us find a tavern and possibly woman's thighs to clear ones' mind."

Before Edam could accept he saw _her_ again. This time off in the distance and motioning for him to follow. A few people walked in front of her and when they cleared she was gone. "Another time, my friend. I have some work more inland that requires pressing attention. Tylar nodded and stepped off ship while Edam went below deck to grab his coin purse and his two castle forged daggers. They were roughly the length of his forearms and the width of his wrists. They were named after his two sisters who died shortly after they were born, Eleana and Eyva. He simply called the blades "Twin Sisters."

Edam stepped off the ship and made his way pushing and shoving through the crowds of the Braavosi people. The smells of the streets and seafood mongers heightened as he neared the allyway. Everything had been the same since last he came here on his 15th name day with his father and older sister, Elen. " _Four years and nothing's changed_." He could hear his sister say from last time. Now Edam could say, "Three more and it's still as quaint." Edam loved the smell of the sea mixed with the scent of wheat and fresh fish.

A little girl with short brown hair and storm grey eyes skipped past Edam singing her own little tune, "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy." Other pedestrians were speaking in High Valyrian. Edam was able to pick up certain words and even fragments of sentences, but not entire conversations. He came to a fork in the street only going left or right. Across the sound he saw the House of Black and White. Edam wasn't too fond of the tales of the Faceless Men. Washing the corpses and taking the literal face becoming that person.

He looked again left and right, but no trace was seen. This time it was just a voice, "Left." It said. Now in almost a slow run, Edam went hastily down the street listening ever so anxiously for another harmonic tone of her voice. He ran to the end of the street where he saw a small hut with bone fragments as supports and what felt like human hair as a cover. When Edam walked in, the smell to his surprise was sweet and home-like. It reminded him of the sweet raisin tonic that his mother gave him and his sister when they were sick. Sitting on the floor with his palms facing the ceiling was a boy of around 10 years of age with slick black hair, ocean green eyes, and a scar going down his cheek. Edam knew this boy from somewhere, but he couldn't quite make it out.

"Why have you come?" He asked with a northern Westerosi accent.

Edam was still standing in the entrance dumbfounded, "I- I do not know."

"How can I help you if you cannot be honest with even just yourself." The boy never lost eye contact with Edam, "Sit boy."

Edam face puzzled, "Boy?" Edam found himself beginning to sit down across from the boy who was now looking into the fire pit in between them. "Who are-"

The black haired boy held up his hand to make Edam stop talking, "You only get one question. Ask wisely."

Edam wanted to ask without thinking, but the voice in his head forced him not to. He remembered his dream and his visions. She was always smiling and gods how it was infectious. He could see her now right in front of him through the fire and knew what to ask, "Will I be happy?"

"Who's to say you aren't happy at this moment?"

"Please." Edam said.

"Three demons you must face. Dawn, Midday, and Dusk. Water, Fire, and Stone. All that was, is, and will be. Do not seek redemption, but instead seek forgiveness and all you wish to do good for."

"I still don't quite understand."

"You will" Said the boy. "Valar Morghulis."

"Valar Dohaeris." Edam stepped out of the tent and saw across the horizon that blood orange flood of light consume the dark sky, "Dawn." He said.


	2. Daydreams

Daydreams

Baela I

As the morning sun rose over the mouth of the Rhoyne she dreamt of falling. Falling from the highest peak in the world and pray on the way down that she turn into a bird as to fly as far away as possible. Alas, her wish never came true. She was a slave to the most disgusting man in all of Essos. She did not know his name, but all the other masters called him the "Filth of Qarth." The slaves say he clogged the whole draining system in his lands and as a curse he was forced to smell like piss and shit the rest of his life. Yet here he was smelling of bile and possibly one of the poorest masters in the Eastern side of the world.

Her and the other slaves were chained together and ushered to the selling square. There were hundreds of others dressed all the same. Baela didn't belong. Not here, not as a slave, not in Volantis. The city was filled with people, slaves and masters alike. Mainly slaves though. A master was an uncommon sight for a person's eyes. Volantis was always marketing off slaves day or night.

There was a rough tugging sensation on her wrist and she was pulled onto the block, unchained, and stripped of all clothes leaving her naked for everyone to see. The announcer called out, "The first slave offered from the 'Filth of Qarth.'" He grabbed Baela's face to see the tattoo on her cheek, "A builder? How are you a builder?" he asked.

Baela licked her lips, "I work the forge, make weapons and armor for my masters guards. It's all I've ever known to do since I can remember."

The announcer laughed, "A beauty and good with her hands! Very resourceful creature. And where were you born?"

"Lys." She answered.

"Lys! Most likely a product of slave breeding, am I correct in the matter?"

"You are correct, mi' lord."

"Excellent! Very excellent! The blood of Old Valyria runs in many from Lys. Could you possibly have it?"

Baela looked at her master who gave a small nod enough for her to see, but not those around him. "Yes." She said.

Whispers went among the masters that were attending. The announcer proclaimed, "For this specimen the bidding starts at 150 Honors."

One master raised his hand, "200!" He shouted.

"275!" shouted another.

Baela looked over into the streets where commoners would walk into shops and buy food, wine, and anything nice. She desperately wanted to be apart of it instead of a slave. She had never been able to buy something for herself even something such as a glass cup. She locked eye contact with a young boy walking behind the other slaves. He had black hair, dazzling sea green eyes, and a scar running down his cheek. He smiled a wicked smile as if to say, "So it's you." A traffic of commoners passed by and he evaporated into nothing behind them.

"430 Honors! Sold!" the announcer bellowed.

Baela scanned the crowd and saw a man in Braavosi leathers walking up on the stage. He tossed two bags of Honors to the 'Filth of Qarth,' "Here. Maybe you can afford a bath for once." The other masters laughed. Even some of the slaves he owned showed a little smile, just for a moment though so no one would notice easily. The new master picked up my cloth dress and handed it to me.

"Thank you, mi' lord."

He smiled and said, "Come on, I've got other places to be." Baela rushed off the stage as stopped at the bottom waiting for her new master. As quick as she could she put her cloth dress back on and brushed her hair aside like she normally did as an anxious tick. As the master reached the bottom step she held her arms out to be rechained. "That will not be necessary my dear. So long as you are with me you will not wear a chain again."

He started to walk away so Baela ran to catch up, "Mi' lord, I-" She stopped herself. "Forgive me that was out of turn. I should not be speaking unless asked a question." She lowered her head in apology.

"It is quite alright." He said.

The master lifted her chin up with his finger and Baela got a much better look at him then before on the stage. He was old, not too old, but old enough to be her father. He wasn't of course. Baela had known her father. She lived in his house up until right after her 10th name day when a fever took him in the night. Since her mother died in childbirth and since her father had no true born sons, Baela and her other half siblings were put on a ship to Qarth. She missed her father. He was a genuinely kind man and never beat them. He was as real as any father would be to his children even if they were bastards. Her fathers voice rang through her head, "The greatest lie we tell ourselves is that happiness is given to us. It isn't given to you… Just like everything else in the world you have to earn it for yourself."

A tear ran down her cheek and her master wiped it away, "I'm sorry, mi' lord, you just remind me of someone I lost." She used her dress to wipe the rest of the water from her tearducts and saw something very unusual. Two hammers crossed over each other under his left eye, however it was faded to the point of contrast close to his skin color. "You're a slave as well?"

Baela and her new master walked a little ways before he started talking. "I was, when I was a boy. A blacksmith just as you. Except my master didn't like slavery, so he proposed me an offer. In exchange for my freedom I had to be his apprentice. I could do what I wanted when I wasn't working, but whenever it was time I had to constantly be forging. When I made enough money from him and selling weapons, armor, and the like, I paid him all he bought me with plus interest. I set up my own shop in Pentos with all the money that remained. Recently I found out he died so with the same mentality he had I decided to return the favor in another way by taking on my own apprentice. I figured since Volantis had the biggest slave trade area that I'd find at least one with talent."

"So you chose me?"

"Yes."

"And you're going to give me the same offer?"

"With a few alterations. But that is a conversation for another time my dear. For now let us find you some better clothes for the journey back home for Pentos."


End file.
